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Saturday, March 14, 2015

My stay in Sydney, Australia last December was quite short. But in between the daily trips from the house to the city, or when there's a little time wherever we went, i made sure that i take some shots of any flowers anywhere. Some of the following are from the garden of the house i stayed in, some are found in parks and two shots were in the supermarket flower section.

Flowers in temperate countries are always looking fresh even if it is noontime. This is so obvious to me because here in our country, the petals immediatley showed some wilting as the sun rises to about 10 o'clock. Many flowers here are not able to reach the afternoon without showing dehydration.

This Agapanthus can be seen in many places in Sydney, from domestic gardens to the wild. Maybe those in the latter have escaped cultivated gardens when some bulbs dropped in these areas.

Above and below are both gazania on the way to opening. There are many colors for this and i also see it sometimes in uncultivated roadsides.

This cactus is a desert plant but lends itself to cultivation. It blooms also here in our tropical country but not as prolific as when induced by the cold temperatures in semi temperate or sub-tropical climates.

I am so amazed at this small butterfly, as it is also found in the tropics. I realized it is not very agile in colder temperatures that makes my shooting much easier. I was able to come nearer without it realizing my approach.

This is a young growing frond of a fern, the leaves still in thick embrace with the midrib, trying to unfurl so slowly.

I am not familiar, nor have seen before this impressive flowers. A petal automatically drops to allow the stamens and the stigma be fully exposed to pollinators. I haven't seen this type of habit in flowers here in my country yet.

The bunches of arrangements are seen in a supermarket flower corner. Many kinds of flowers are included in the bunch. But i don't know anything there except a brown-banksia-looking type at the left.

Above is the flower i am very familiar with because its parents can be native to the Philippines. It is a hybrid Phalaenopsis. It is sold in pots and fetch for AU$50. I felt a little envious as the vaselife of this bloom will be much longer here in Sydney.

Lovely flowers. It is interesting reading your comments on how long flowers last in Australia compared withbthe Philippines. We have no problems with flowers drying out here in Scotland! Although there is very little in flower here just now. It sounds as though Sydney is a good compromise as far as climate is concerned.

Absolutely gorgeous flowers from Sydney... The last one is one we call a orchid.. They grow indoors here --and we see them when we go to Biltmore... Love your explanations about some of those flowers... Thanks!!!!! They are so gorgeous.Hugs,Betsy

Yes i know Stewart, i discussed it in the texts. I fully saw them in the wild in the two countries, invasive two. But they are at the same time planted in gardens, because they are self sustaining and lovely.

I love agaphantus. I have a few in my yard. They come in blue or purple, then there's the darker shade of blue or purple and then there's the white. So far I only know three colors that they come in. If you know other colors let me know.

Maria, these are plants in Sydney and New Zealand. They are like weeds there, as also validated by Stewart M above who is living in Australia. I might not be able to see any of them as it is not growing here in the Philippines lowlands. I've seen the colors you've said, but only in those 2 countries.

I enjoyed your post. I rarely leave our city, and have never left the U.S. I enjoy seeing photos and hearing about others' travels. I wnder if your mystery flower is a honeysuckle of some kind.

On my last post, you asked about the work of removing last year's stems each spring. It is a lot of work, and time consuming, but, like pulling weeds, I think of it as getting to be out gardening. I kind of enjoy it.

Thank you very much Sue for the kind words and comments. If it is honeysuckle i might never know, how i wish i can buy the book about Australian wildflowers. I have a book there given by a friend, buot on Australian birds, hehe.

Regarding travels, i have a few opportunities and i really take lots of photos of plants and flowers as long as time allows. I also learn lots of flowers from bloggers like all of us, and i enjoy communicating with my blogger friends through the years.

Always interesting to see photos of our flowers taken by visitors, Andrea, but even more interesting are your comments :-) Honeysuckle is such a common temperate zone flower, but I love it because of its beautiful fragrance. One may pluck a flower and then suckle the nectar from the cut part of the long neck (= honeysuckle).Tee flower bouquet is made up of many members of the Proteaceae family (many members of which are Australian natives, but also others natives of South Africa).Agapanthus is another South African flower doing well in Australia (too well in some places, hence the "weed" appellation)...

OH thanks for the information Nick V. I have been reading honeysuckle but am really not familiar with it, now i have to read more about it and look at my photo. Actually this one is found in the wild, in the trail at the Three Sisters area. It is not really in a domestic garden.

Your point about the freshness of flowers in temperate climates is fascinating. I've noticed this during my travels and in my own garden during different seasons. Since we get very big extremes here (from -29C to 38C, and everything in between), there is a very big difference from season to season in flower freshness and vase life. The blooms you have chosen to show and your photos are exquisite--especially the nearly open Gazanias. Lovely.

WELCOME!

You are welcome to my blog. Your comments, suggestions and/or advice are surely appreciated. I am from the Philippines, a hot tropical climate, and this blog is a mixture of travels, photos and a lot more from here and abroad. I hope you enjoy it.